Mixed Decoy Spread for Creek Blind

[Dead Meat Migrator]

The question I have is the setup style or arraingment of geese decoys, and mallard decoys on a creek. Here is the setup:

Blind located on the point of an island in a creek that is about 60-80 yards wide. Trees line both sides of the creek as well as being located behind us on the island. We face down stream (north), and have a good open viewing out in front and to the left and right of us. The waterfowl usually always come from 200 yards down the creek (north) from left to right or vice versa, or from left and behind left. the wind is usually at our backs or on our left. The problem we are having is , we cant get the birds to fully commit to the spread, and lock for landing, we seem to always have hight speed fly buys. The blind is well hidded and camoed, and we are in full max 4HD and we cant figure it out. The only thing we can think of is that the decoy spread is off. What type of setups and arraingments should we try?? "J hook, "Big open C", "Small Clusters", " Big Groups"??????

The Decoys are Red Head floaters (geese), and Final Approach Mallards

Thanks for you help...

[Richie]

Doesnt sound like your doing much wrong, just dont place the geese to close to the ducks. Mallards arent as picky as some but from my experience i have seen that certain ducks will go nowhere near geese. I always try to keep about 50 yards or so between them. And the patterns you say are what i would think most of us use, just try to mix em up a bit. Only thing, does your blind stand out alot sompared to your suroundings........ducks and geese have good depth perception and shape arrangement and can tell when something is out of place.

[TwinCreeks]

I hunt almost all riverbanks or island, considering thats all I have to hunt where I live... I really like to use 2 or 3 groups of about 8-16 mallards and blacks... 2 groups mallards 1 group blacks; I put one group of mallards upstream about 10 yards then the other two groups about 20-35 yards in front of blind on both sides of the river... maybe throw a couple honker floaters in the area up from your blind; this combo has worked for me in this situation many times...you can switch out the black ducks with other spieces like woodies or something...whatever is in the area. thats just what I see alot in the late season.... Try this and any ducks coming from up river (behind you i think) will hopefully drop right down over your head and any ducks coming from down river will see them and hopefully will circle and come down or just drop in. Richie is right about them seeing the decoys together....try not to get your geese to close to your ducks (both geese and ducks dont seem to like this on the river) hope this helps...good luck

[Dead Meat Migrator]

TwinCreeks:


I will try your set up tomorrow morning, should be a good day here in Central Pa with the Cold weather finally getting here....

Thanks for your help..

[Dead Meat Migrator]

Worked much better, thanks alot. We ended up only getting 3 Mallards. The ice covered creek did not help much until the sun came up...

thanks again..

[TwinCreeks]

Good stuff... Did they decoy better...come down with only 1 or 2 passes/circles? Oh...and if bad ice... break up 1 or 2 big holes in front of your blind and too your right or left... :)

[TwinCreeks]

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p31/TwinCreek/11.jpg


like this...some big holes areas for ducks to land... this was a good day...

[Dead Meat Migrator]

Yeah we did that when we first walked in, but there was so much ice coming down the Creek that It kept dragging our decoy's away...It was a rough and cold day..